


Cold nights, warm furs

by Firgolfin



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 20:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4535715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firgolfin/pseuds/Firgolfin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After killing a fennec in fight accidently, Jadzia Lavellan decides to take care of it’s babies. But of course this includes Commander Cullen, too, and he is not quite pleased about that idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold nights, warm furs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JadziaLavellan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadziaLavellan/gifts).



> This is a gift-fic for my friend [luluchenofdarnassus](http://luluchenofdarnassus.tumblr.com/) (tumblr), and the story is based on her idea. Jadzia Lavellan belongs to her.

**********

 

"Oh, _no_!" Jadzia's scream echoed across the battlefield.

"Hold on! Coming!" Dorian jumped at her side in an instant, followed by the rest of their group, all alarmed at once.

"Need a healing hand?" His eyes held a concern he couldn't quite hide as they were scanning her body for injuries, but she raised her hands in a calming gesture.

"No. No, I'm okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you," she explained, then continued, "I just... killed a fennec. It wasn't on purpose."

"A... what?" he raised a brow.

"A fennec. Look, over there," she pointed at the dead animal and bit her lower lip in regret. She always tried hard to control her magic and not to cause more damage than necessary. "I think I must have hit it with a magic spell while fighting those bandits."

" _Ugh,_ " Dorian made a disgusted noise, "this looks indeed... _very_ dead." With this comment his interest was lost and he went to move on. Jadzia threw a last look at the little animal before following him. A whispered, " _I'm sorry,"_ left her lips, almost inaudible. Her compassion for a fennec would probably bring her only mockery from her group. But still, she felt sad about it.

So they moved on. There were still more bandits in the Hinterlands to handle with, but it wasn't for long when they passed a bunch of small bushes and Jadzia heard the noises. Shoving a few branches aside carefully, she found them–two baby fennecs. Small, vulnerable and crying for– for what, food? Their mother?

"Oh... no." Awareness hit her and she felt the stitch of remorse again. "I think I killed her mother."

An idea formed in her head almost immediately and she bent down slowly, reaching out with her hand. The babies began snuffling at her, shyly at first, but soon with more courage. A small smile passed her lips. Yes, she knew what to do.

 

**********

 

Cullen stood in his office, his arms folded across his chest in a stubborn gesture. His lover, much smaller than himself, had to stretch her neck do look up to him, but did well with mirroring his posture with the same stubbornness. Her lips were pressed together–Maker's breath, but he knew she would not give in. But neither was he willing to do so. Not quite.

The baby fennecs, sitting in a small basket on the floor, looked up to them, obviously rather curious than worried.

"You can't be serious about that," he grumbled again and sighed. It felt like they discussed this issue for an eternity already.

"I _am_ serious," she gave him a challenging gaze. "As I said before, Cullen. I killed their mother, and if I hadn't taken them with us, they would have died. Look how small they are. They can't take care of themselves."

He said nothing and so she continued.

"I have to leave Skyhold again, soon, you know that, and I need someone who helps me taking care of them."

"And with someone you mean _me._ "

"...yes."

" _And_ you want them to live in our room? They'll probably poop and pee everywhere on the floor. And what do they even eat?"

"Ah, come on. They are so small, how much can they poop? Maybe we can build something. Like a little toilet for them. And then we'll nurture and educate them," her eyes seemed to shine about that thought. Yes, she _was_ serious, indeed. "And I'm sure," she continued, "the kitchen has enough meat and vegetable rests for us to feed them with. It's not a problem at all."

No, the only problem was that he had obviously no chance to talk this nonsense out of her head.

He covered his eyes with his hand, then rubbed his forehead, speaking more to himself than to her, "She doesn't bring a dog, not even a cat. No, she brings a baby fennec. Sorry, _two_ baby fennecs!"

"Is that a yes?"

"No this is _not_ a yes. Bring them to the stables. They can sleep in the hay." _Last try._

"But I feel responsible for them! And I really like them. Look at how cute they are! Please...I'm sure they won't make you any trouble."

"Jadzia..."

"Please..."

"These are wild animals, not for–"

She took his larger hand in hers, massaging it softly while smiling up to him oh so sweetly. Using her strongest weapon against him.

He rolled his eyes and sighed, before looking at her again. There was that look in her eyes which he knew all too well–she had him and she knew it.

"Maker's breath," he breathed, "Alright, but they won't sleep in the bed! Not ever–ungh!" Her arms were slung around his neck in an instance and she plastered kisses on his cheek.

"Thank you so much!"

 

**********

 

It was less than a week when they had to travel back to the Hinterlands again, this time for longer. Almost two months were planned for them to stay there–and she knew that things didn't always work as planned and it could even become longer. It had been far too little time for her to spent with her commander, and Jadzia was literally close to crying when she got ready to leave Skyhold again. She swallowed hard and tried to blink the welling tears away.

"Ma vhenan," Cullen whispered as he held her close, and his warm breath caressed her ear. Her heart did a little jump in her chest, as it always did when he was so close to her. And even more when he used this term of endearment. She wasn't sure if he even knew just how much this meant to her. How much it showed his respect, not only for her, but only for her race, her origin. It meant e _verything_. She ran one hand down his back gently, while the other was buried in his hair, and pulled him even closer. Her face was buried in his fur and she breathed him in, burning all the little nuances of his scent, his touch, his warmth into her memory.

"I wish I could stay. With you. Just a little bit longer," she whispered and then she felt his fingers under her chin, lifting her head up gently. Warm, loving amber eyes met hers and she blinked hard again. What had she done to deserve the love of this man?

"I'll miss you so much, Cullen. Oh creators, I miss you already."

"I'll miss you too," he said and his voice sounded lightly cracked, but he smiled to her. "Time will fly. You'll see. And I'll write to you every day, I promise."

"As will I," she answered, and then his soft lips lay upon hers, and time stopped just for a moment as their kiss deepened, bodies pressed together, and there were only _him_ and _her_ , no Inquisition, no duties.

"Stay save, Jadzia," he breathed against her lips, and she nodded.

"You too, ma vhenan."

 

**********

 

The nights were always colder without her. He used to sleep with the newest letter of her besides him–and a piece of her clothes.

He buried his nose in Jadzia's nightgown, breathing in deeply, and he would swear that her scent was still in her clothes, alhough it was already a month since she'd left.

A whole month, and another one would pass since she'd finally return to him. He swallowed hard. The days were easier for him, he buried himself in work for most the time, so there was not much space left to give into his longing for her.

But the nights. Reading her letters every evening before going to sleep always brought her closer to him, and there were times when he felt happy, although she was so far away.

But other nights were very hard, sometimes almost unbearable. When he woke after a nightmare, fumbling around, searching for her warmth, only to find an empty space and cold sheets, he felt lonely, almost desperate, and couldn't await her return.

He wondered then where she was and what was she doing. And if she felt the same. He was sure she did, though, they hadn't talked about it yet, but he loved her. And even if he could barely believe it, he somehow _felt_ that she did to. _Love him._ This thought alone always helped him, made him smile.

It was one of those nights, when he felt a motion under the sheets. Something warm tickled his soles and he flinched. Then remembered. The fennec babies! They tried to crawl up the bed again. He moved to shoo them away–then hesitated. One of the babies was already curled up into the crook of his knees, the other looked up at him. Friendly and almost–what, sad?

Cullen smiled at himself at this thought. "You miss her too, don't you?" he spoke softly and let himself sink down into the pillow again. "Alright," he mumbled into the soft fabric, "but only this one time."

But then he found himself rather fond of the warmth the animals gave him, and when he felt it crawling up and curling into his chest, his arm slung around the little pet in an automatical gesture and his fingers began ruffling the soft fur carefully.

Jadzia was right, they really were cute. Not that he would ever tell her that.

"This stays our little secret, yes?" he purred before drifting back to sleep.

This night there were no nightmares.


End file.
